Love from Around the World

Although not everyone will understand this post, I felt it was important to share my dad’s love for an online game called ‘Lineage II’ over the past few years of his life, and the friends there that shared their love and support for him when they learned of his illness and his death. -Melissa

Keith fell in love with an online computer game called ‘Lineage II’. It is a fantasy game filled with dragons and castles, and through it he was able to be strong and befriend people from all over the world, including Italy, Spain, and Russia, and to help people in ways he couldn’t in life due to his poor health. He was looked up to as a leader of hundreds. He loved to play the game and to have fun. He was known as ‘Keta’ (shown below).

As Keith’s health began to fail and he was sent to the VA hospital, his daughter Melissa (known as ‘Tamoh’ in Lineage II) wrote a bulletin on a forum for the game to let everyone know how he was doing. Many responded with their wishes and thoughts—some of them didn’t know who Keith was, but were impressed by the demonstration of love and support.

When Keith passed away in the morning of November 16th, 2009, news spread rapidly throughout the game, and that night a gathering of friends in his honor rapidly grew into a spur-of-the-moment memorial that affected everyone playing the game that night. ‘Wars’ in the game were stopped for a day in his honor. Many sat with Keith’s game character named ‘Keta’ that night—and remained with him for hours until his character was disconnected from the game.

‘Keta’ will permanently retire from the world of Lineage II on December 24th, 2009. May his legacy and spirit of friendship be carried on in the hearts of all who knew him.

‘Keta’ Memorial Page, written by his daughter